A large number of deaths are attributed each year to distracted driving in the United States. Many drivers are too busy texting, making phone calls, or reading (among other things) while driving their cars. If you listen to some people in Washington, the answer to fixing such driving stupidity are even more safety mandates.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wants collision-avoidance technology such as forward-collision and lane-departure warning systems, adaptive cruise control, and automatic braking on every car sold in the U.S. These technologies are already available as options on many luxury cars currently on the market.

The problem on the consumer end of things is that these safety features are included in options packages that add $1,000 or more to the price of the vehicle. Automotive manufacturers oppose the NTSB because the added costs would spread to even the most basic automobiles on the market instead of being relegated to more expensive vehicles where buyers are more willing to fork over the money.

However, the NTSB believes that this sort of technology can help drivers improve reaction times and avoid crashes.

According to the NHTSA, systems such as the ones it's recommending would make a significant impact on reducing the number of accidents caused by distracted drivers. Accidents caused by distracted drivers account for 60% of highway fatalities.

"We have a chance to take a big bite into that figure," NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt said.

While I would like that to happen, and don't particulary agree with what they are proposing, I would like your idea of how to get that to happen. Right now most people in the country (the world?) only care about what they can get, how will they get paid, not about anything else. There will always be distracted people, and the average person is an idiot (and 50% of people are below average).

I am not sure this will help, and will be yet another electrical component to break down and need maintenance, but I also don't think it will cost $1000. If the option right now is $1000, that means it probably costs $250 max and with max production, that number will come down. If it starts to lower the risk that some idiot will not rear end me, potentially harming my wife or kids, then great, I am all for it.